Recent Press Releases

Washington, D.C. —  Senator John Thune today congratulated the Winner School District for winning the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for their outstanding support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The Winner School District was one of 15 recipients nationwide out of a record 2,199 nominees.
"Winning this award is a tremendous accomplishment for the Winner School District and for all of South Dakota," said Thune. "The men and women who serve in the National Guard and Reserve are a crucial part of our nation's Armed Forces, and their capability to serve depends on the support and encouragement of their employers back home. The Winner School District goes above and beyond in supporting those who serve America, and this award is richly deserved."
National Guard and Reserve members or their family members from across the country nominated their employers for the award in recognition of their outstanding support. A national selection board comprised of senior Defense Department officials and business leaders selected the recipients for this year's awards.
The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) to recognize exceptional support from the employer community.
The Freedom Award will be presented to the Winner School District and the other recipients during a formal ceremony Thursday, September 18, 2008 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.
More information about the Freedom Award is available at www.FreedomAward.mil.